Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
Yaa ilmaan ko, mee gorsa abbaan namaaf kennu dhagaʼaa; qalbeeffadhaatii hubannaa argadhaa.
2 I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
Ani barumsa gaarii isinii nan kenna; kanaafuu barsiisa koo hin dhiisinaa.
3 When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,
Yeroo ani mucaa xinnaa taʼee mana abbaa koo turetti, yeroo ani daaʼima dhiiga taʼee haadha kootiif ilma tokkicha turetti,
4 he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
inni akkana jedhee na barsiise; “Garaa kee guutuudhaan dubbii koo jabeessii qabadhu; seera koo eegi; ati ni jiraattaatii.
5 Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
Ogummaa argadhu; hubannaas argadhu; dubbii koo hin dagatin yookaan irraa hin jalʼatin.
6 do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
Ogummaa hin dhiisin; isheen si eegdii; ishee jaalladhu; isheenis si tiksitii.
7 Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
Ogummaan waan hunda caalti; kanaafuu ogummaa argadhu. Yoo isheen waan ati qabdu hunda si baasifte illee hubannaa argadhu.
8 Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
Ogummaa kabaji; inni ol si guddisaatii; isa hammadhu; innis si kabajaatii.
9 She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
Isheen kallacha bareedaa mataa kee irra siif keessi; gonfoo miidhagaa illee siif kenniti.”
10 Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
Yaa ilma ko dhagaʼi; waan ani jedhu illee fudhadhu; barri jireenya keetiis ni baayʼataa.
11 I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
Ani karaa ogummaa irra sin qajeelcha; daandii qajeelaa irras sin buusa.
12 When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
Yeroo ati deemtu, tarkaanfiin kee hin ittifamu; yoo fiigdu illee ati hin gufattu.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
Qajeelfama jabeessii qabadhu; gad hin dhiisin; waan inni jireenya kee taʼeef jabeessii eeggadhu.
14 Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
Daandii hamootaa irra miilla kee hin dhaabin yookaan karaa jalʼootaa irra hin deemin.
15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
Irraa fagaadhu; irras hin deemin; irraa goriitii karaa kee irra qajeeli.
16 For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
Isaan waan hamaa hojjetan malee rafuu hin dandaʼaniitii; isaan hamma nama gufachiisanitti hirriba hin argatan.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Isaan buddeena hamminaa nyaatu; daadhii wayinii kan dabaan argame dhugu.
18 But the path of righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
Karaan qajeeltotaa akkuma ifa barii barraaqaa kan hamma saafaatti ittuma fufee ifaa deemuu ti.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
Karaan hamootaa garuu akkuma dukkana guddaa ti; isaan waan isaan gufachiisu hin beekan.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Yaa ilma ko, waan ani jedhu qalbeeffadhu; dubbii kootiifis gurra kenni.
21 Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
Akka inni fuula kee duraa dhabamu hin godhin; garaa kee keessa ol kaaʼadhu;
22 For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
inni warra isa argatuuf jireenya, dhagna namaa guutuufis fayyinaatii.
23 Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Waan hunda caalaa qalbii kee eeggadhu; burqaan jireenyaa achii baʼaatii.
24 Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
Dubbii jalʼinaa afaan kee keessaa balleessi; haasaa hamaas arraba kee irraa fageessi.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
Iji kee kallattiidhaan qajeelchee haa ilaalu; atis xiyyeeffadhuu fuula kee dura ilaali.
26 Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
Miilla keetiif daandii wal qixxeeffadhu; karaan kee hundinuu haa jabaatu.
27 Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Gara mirgaatti yookaan gara bitaatti hin gorin; miilla kee hammina irraa eeggadhu.
